Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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90. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if and when he will implement the fitness-to-teach provisions of the Teaching Council Acts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18730/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Under the Teaching Council Act 2001, the Teaching Council is, since 2006, the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession.

The Teaching Council Act has been commenced on a phased basis and the next step in the commencement schedule is Part 5 (Fitness to Teach), the provisions of which were amended by the Teaching Council (Amendment) Act 2015. Part 5 provides for, inter alia, the grounds for complaint to the Council concerning a registered teacher, how the Council will deal with such complaints, a range of potential sanctions and the appeal of decisions.

Officials of my Department are liaising closely with the Teaching Council in relation to the arrangements for Part 5, and I intend to commence that part shortly, along with other sections of the amended Act.